1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a local network interworking with an IP (Internet Protocol) network, and more particularly to a method and network for allowing a local network access device to access local network devices to which IP addresses are assigned.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a local network includes a local network gateway and interworks with an Internet being the IP network. Further, the local network includes a plurality of local network access devices and a PC (Personal Computer), which is connected to the Internet through the local network gateway for accessing the local network access devices. Conventionally, the PC, the local network gateway and the local network access devices are interconnected by an Ethernet interface.
For example, the local network can be a home network where a user of the PC accesses the Internet using ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) services, and the local network gateway corresponds to an ADSL modem. As is well known to those in the art, an ISP (Internet Service Provider), not shown, connects the PC to the Internet. Further, each local network access device has an IP address. For example, the local network access devices can include a television, a refrigerator, a washing machine, etc., which are accessed by the PC.
As a system for managing domain names on the Internet, a DNS (Domain Name System), is employed. The DNS maps and registers a domain name of a host computer and an IP address in a DNS server so that the user of the PC can connect the PC to a desired host computer through the Internet by inputting the domain name, in place of the IP address that the user may not remember.
In order to use DNS services, the domain name is to be registered to the DNS server. However, it is difficult for domain names of all the local devices to be registered to the DNS server. Further, costs needed to register the domain names are expensive. Therefore, where the user of the PC accesses the local network access devices corresponding to IP addresses not to be registered to the DNS server from the local network through a Web, a telnet (Telecommunication Network), a FTP (File Transfer Protocol), a ping (Packet Internet Grouper), etc., the respective IP addresses corresponding to the local network access devices should be directly inputted by the user. If the user desires to access a local network access device corresponding to an IP address “192.168.82.1” using the telnet, the user should input “telnet 192.168.82.1”.
Accordingly, there is a problem in that a user should directly input IP addresses to access local network devices corresponding to IP addresses not to be registered to a DNS server from a local network. There is another problem in that the user should remember the IP addresses corresponding to the local network devices or store the IP addresses and domain names in a Windows™ host file. There is yet another problem in that the user should remember changed IP addresses where the IP addresses corresponding to the local network devices are changed.